New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-03-06
PRISONERS OF GENTILITY.
JOHN PAULs VIEWS OF WOMEN (AND MEM
WHO WORK WITHOUT WAGES.
THEIR TRADES, AND THEIR HARD LINES.

rurrR TRADES AND THEIR HARD LINES.
Would that might take some of the independ-
hpt sewins-women, unrestrained shopgirls ana
banpv-go-luclsy cigaretterOllers by the hand and
lead them through q few Of the miserable brown-
stone mansions with which this city, alas is filled.
Surely their hearts would be moved 10 sympathy
with woes which. net dreaming CT, they DO not
understand; Of whose existence they have not
even q suspicion. And could i but persuade
Bridget to leave for moment her warm anu
comfortable kitchen where all the surrounoihs'
are peace-with the exception Of those winch "io
,ieces. where Plenty staks-side by side, pcrhaIs
with stalwart tcnbugs-and WISH the Pa'io'
and bedrooms upstars, she might then IN man
nor catch on to the wrctchedness OF those ABOVE
bor 90 far as being on the parlor floor Is con-
cerncd,. might glmmeringly comprehend per
ha-s the untitled "wants' which overflow
AZ ,oor,s of downtrodden mstresscs-tO say
potbiny Of advertising columns al an
average of about twenty cents hne'
brought face TO face with this suffering from
which her station hap lily exempts her, confronted
with facts which are as patent as the esg-ncater
which in her ccntumacy she refuses to use she
might make some attempt at an amchoratlon OF
conditions which perhaps she is powerless but
more likely has not the dispositOn) to change.
Here is ian imposing brownstOne 'front.'" for
instance IL looks well enough and comfortable
from the outside. but, has already been said.
II is impcs.nr-cn you brownstone front, indeed,
IT'S all front. Scarcely wide enough to turn even
n wellrounded period in, the fourth floor IS IN
the clouds. And up and down all these weary
hi yhts-not of fancy by any means-the grooming
mistress of the mansion must tug and ton
dozen times day to see that the girls nave
done that which she has in all humility emrea'eu
them to Internationally that their pitchers are
filed lest they be obliged to make their humble
toilets at the kitchen sink and arrange their
bangs in the dining room. Enter with me for a
moment-i. e. if we can get the upstairs girl now
busily engaged In hand to hand contention with
the downstairs one as to who shall gather up the
matches which lie on the floor and over which
both have been tramping since breakfast time
to answer the bell. True we may have to walt
few mnutes-while she peers through the shutters
to see if it is Arabella's young MAINLAND then be
scowled at while mildly ask If Mrs. Cocobolo
is in but the experience Of this grade of life.
the insight into the mseries Of those who sup
posed TO be independent If not well off, will be
worth all the COST Mrs. CocObolo Is engaged for
the instant-she is stalking her either lesson -
will we be- seated in the parlor for moment
Nes And the girl with dime novel in one hand
and a feather buster in tho other attacks the
brio a-brac furiously, cycling us the while with
the half-drawn portiere we catch glimpse oil
Mrs. Cocobolo, red silk handkerchief tied
around her head and an ash-pail in her hand as
she makes hurried escape from the reception
room, where she has been polishing the CRATE, and
scuriics upstairs. We look around the room.
Here are many articles Of luxury but very few OF
use A faint but perceptible smell 6f benzlne IN
the air tells that things have lately been cleaned
and one can see at glance that the carpet has
been turned, for the figures run the wrong way OF
the room. Tho furniture looks fairly well, but
"tidies' are hung on everything dangling around
your neck or tangling your elbows when you sit
down; and in struggling to escape from their
meshcs disarrangement is brought about which
reveals frayed. tattercd and most disreputable
"repsn beneath. The beautiful rosewood piano
stands invitingly open, an incomprehensible piece
from Wagner on top, with music scattered round
seating yourself you run hand trillingly over
the keys. The instrument has not been tuned IN
year. the pedal doesn't work and the keys Of the
middle register are evidently bald-as is very well
known il there be deficiency Of felt cannot
play with feeling. Mrs. CocobolO enters
"Ah, trying my dear old piano? Mr. CocObolo
has done his best 10 persuade me to have new
one, but this dear old thing has so many sacred
associations connected with 1t that l cannot bear
10 give it up. It belonged to an aunt Of my
mothcr's-'twas there she nursed me. twas there
she died. And mem'ry flows with lava tide. as
IL were. And Arabella loves it So" ArabcIa is
the eldest OF four daughters.
OF course we know that the piano is Of modern
make and that it could be tuned and generally
oyerhauled internally without any particular dis
turbance to whatever sacred associations may cus-
ter round its outside, but we do not say So And
we inquire for Notwithstanding that the other
young ladies must be in since they have not yet
has been in such round Of partygong and party
giving lately that she is quite broken up and
rarely gets downstairs till late In the afternoon
We saw Arabella's head peeping over the stairs.
where she was evidently busting down the ban
listers as we entered, but do not mention this
fact. Courtesy must be preserved even II histon-
cal accuracy be sacrificed in consequence; and we
rather like Arabea on the whole.
At this moment the door-bell rings and Mrs
COcobolo starts up with: "Pardon me, but there's
one of the children. l have told them ever so
often that they must not disturb the girl when
she's dressing her salads to open the door for
them, but to Just leave it ajar little when they
go out, and I've finally forbidden her to answer
the bell when they ring"
Mrs. Cocobolo leaves the room. brogue is in
our ears-by means Of a treacherous speaking
tube near to which we are seated. which for the
moment plays the unprecedented part of tele-
phone made shareIs in q confidence evil
IDENTIFY intended for the cook: "Indadc, thn an
it's gone to the dure hersilf she has an will It's
not me place at all at all to be attindn the durc
fur Miss Arabilla's young man who's after comm
at all hours Of the day wild all sorts Of dcsavin
an deludin' excuses for it," And to the inquiry
at the door. in anything but child's voice, if
Miss Cocobolo be at home, we hear the
reply, hushcd and low. that she is; there's
ratter the stairs. the reception-room door shuts
to and soon the lady Of the house re-enters.
"Ihese old faithful servants have to be so hui
mored," she says, and seats herself. A sputtcring
and fixing as though lot Of pin-wheels were be-
Ing let of comes up from below. and we are made
aware by the same treacherous tube at our ear
10 A. italao